The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has dismantled a drug trafficking syndicate in high stakes intelligence led operations that lasted three weeks.
The operations led to the discovery of cocaine consignments concealed in tins of palm kernel extract.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi on Sunday in Abuja.
Babafemi said that the drugs heading to the United Kingdom were intercepted and the warehouse where the shipments were packaged raided.
He said that all the three layers of the group were unraveled leading to the arrest of the kingpin.
He also said that the breakthrough began on March 11 when NDLEA officers of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Strategic Command Ikeja Lagos intercepted 3.10 kilograms of cocaine at the export shed of the airport.
“The illicit substance was meticulously hidden inside tins of palm kernel extract intended for shipment to the UK. Two suspects handling the shipment were promptly arrested.
“To unravel the sender and the arrowhead of the drug syndicate, a well-coordinated sting operation was carried out on Thursday, April 2 leading to the arrest of the sender of the consignment, who operates under a fake identity.
“His arrest provided the link to the syndicate’s head, 52-year-old King Arinze who was flushed out of a hideout in the Isolo area of Lagos.
“He was thereafter taken to his warehouse at 11, Ola Ifa Street, Bucknor, Isolo where NDLEA operatives recovered 886 tins of palm kernel extract prepared for drug concealment.
“Industrial tools including a sealing machine, tin openers; paint sprays; 52 grams of cannabis sativa and a pack of hand gloves were also recovered. The suspect has since confessed to personally draining the oil from the tins to conceal the cocaine,” he said.
